He saw her heart...

and he knew that it would be painful, so He comforted her.


This has been going through my head over and over during the last few weeks. It has been made so clear to me that God is intimate with the hearts of His children. He weeps with us. As precious is the moment when my dad got to finally be finally, perfectly loved, God also knew that it was going to be very painful and He looked on me with mercy and compassion.

Here are some of the ways that I have looked back and can see that He is a sovereign God, and that He was preparing me and the way to be as easy as it could be:

• I felt the need a couple of weeks before dad had his heart attack to take a break from teaching my youth girls' Sunday school class. Without a long explanation, this is not typical of me and I can look back and see that it was God providing me with a respite. 
• The operator that my dad spoke to when he called 911 happened to be someone he knew, and he asked her to get in touch with the family to let them know he was being taken to the ER.
• One of the people on staff at the hospital working on my dad - an hour away from where I live- was one of the elders in my church. What sweet comfort to know he was there. 
• When my dad was transported to the hospital here in town, I found out afterwards that the charge nurse was a good friend from church. She was there taking care of dad too. 
• We were given what we thought was hope for dad's survival, and it allowed us a night of solid, necessary sleep and rest. 
• I have been overwhelmed with dear friends and family bringing us food, taking care of my kids, helping me take care of the house, driving me places, and taking care of all sorts of the practical things that tend to go by the wayside. 
• My Shaun has been my quiet rock in all of this... carrying me when I really couldn't go on any more. Reminding me to eat. Taking over all the jobs around here that are normally mine. Getting me out into the sunshine. Making me laugh. Holding me tight. 

There are many other private moments and acts that I have treasured in my heart through all of this, that I will hold dear to me as reminders of how intimate a Father we have, and how He weeps with us when we weep.